Activism
In this collection
Highlights
Fen-Ma Liuming Walks the Great Wall
Fen·Ma Liuming Walks the Great Wall is a performance in which Ma Liuming’s alter-ego casually walks and climbs the Great Wall of China, completely nude, expressing a critical stance against the rigid social structures and conventions symbolized by th
A global invitation to walk in solidarity with communities along the Lebanon Mountain Trail.
South Lebanon has been under attack from Israel displacing thousands of families now fleeing north for refuge. It is no longer possible or appropriate to continue the plan to walk the Lebanon Mountain Trail in April. However, Kinetika and Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA) are keen to highlight the stories of the people along the
Home Makers: go for a walk with sounds made by migrant domestic workers
Home Maker Sounds is a collection of soundwalks recorded and co-edited with migrant domestic workers in the UK and Lebanon. The soundwalks aim to amplify the voices of often silenced or mis-represented women, who labour and live ‘behind closed doors’. On this walk in Holland Park, you’ll hear from soundwalk maker Ann, who remembers the
Politics of Walking: Grief, Solidarity, and Resistance
The recent protests in Serbia and Greece in part started as the expression of collected grief over, oddly for both, railway disasters. The resulting marches not only represented deep discontent with the actions of the respective governments, they were also expressions of solidarity and resistance.
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Walking as political resistance: From May 1968 to contemporary marches
Walking has long served as a potent form of political expression, transforming the simple act of moving through public spaces into a declaration of dissent, solidarity, and hope. From the revolutionary fervor of May 1968 in Paris to the contemporary global marches advocating for workers' rights and protesting state abuses, walking remains an enduring symbol of collective resistance against systemic injustices.
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• The Journey of Nishiyuu
In 2013, six Cree youth from Whapmagoostui walked 1,600 km to Ottawa as part of the Idle No More movement to support Chief Theresa Spence and Indigenous rights. Joined by others along the way, they were celebrated as symbols of Indigenous resilience and unity.
Consequences of a Gesture
*Consequences of a Gesture* (1993) by Daniel J. Martinez, with VinZula Kara, was a participatory parade through Chicago commemorating immigrant labor history. It combined performance, monument, and community engagement, turning streets into a living, historical stage.
Books
Walking pieces
Land Mark (Foot Prints)
Land Mark (Foot Prints) documents activist collaborations in Vieques, where altered shoe soles stamped protest slogans onto former military land. The photographs capture fragile, temporary marks of dissent that question land use, power, and reclamation through everyday actions.
Articles on WLC
Transforming Activism into a Visual Spectacle through Walking Art
In the context of activism, walking art has emerged as a powerful tool for drawing attention to social, political, and environmental issues. By turning their bodies into living canvases, artists and activists are able to transform public spaces into stages for their causes. Here are some notable examples of activists who, in one way or the other, have used walking art to capture global attention.
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Colombian activists try to shame city government into fixing broken sidewalks — by painting them pink | The World from PRX
In Colombia’s capital city Bogotá, pedestrians need to watch out for loose slabs of pavement they can trip over, or wobbly tiles that get their feet wet or splash dirty water on their pants. But some activists have started trying to shame the city into making repairs more quickly by covering the broken spots with
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Russian artists create secret exhibits to avoid arrest, as in Soviet times – The Washington Post
To display art that opposes the war in Ukraine, and avoid arrest, Russian artists have gone underground, creating a secret exhibit in a return to Soviet-era stealth. Source: Russian artists create secret exhibits to avoid arrest, as in Soviet times – The Washington Post
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Articles elsewhere
Drammen AiR Update #7
This week was filled with connection, learning, and exploration. Highlights included visits to historic sites in Norway, engaging conversations about plants and dyes, and a Viking ship launch event that showcased community spirit. The author cherished moments with friends and appreciated the blend of culture, history, and art.
Fred Forest, Hygiene of Art: The City Invaded by Blank Space (1973)
This was a performance walking by Fred Forest in the streets of São Paulo, Brazil under the military dictatorship. The artist hired 15 professional sandwich board men to walk with him carrying blank signs. “The goal of this series of provocative actions undertaken under the cover of art was to create symbolic/utopian spaces of popular […]
Interview with Claudia Zeiske
As part of the release of the hardcover release of my book, Walking as Artistic Practice (softcover comes out in April!), I’m going to be publishing some brief interviews with the various artists, authors, researchers, creatives, collectives, and platforms whose art practice, written material, or other works I cite and mention. My twelfth interview in […]
Events
Walking to Greenham: Women’s Bodies in Motion Across Art and Activism
Beginning in 1981 with a march from Cardiff to Greenham by women, men and children, the camp became women-only the following year and remained so through its 19-year span. According to Barbara Harford and Sarah Hopkinson (1984), Greenham ‘became a place where ideas, fears, dreams, philosophies and skills came together to be worked through’, and initiated a series of actions of exceptional creative ingenuity and political efficacy.
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Links
Sue Thomas
No Planet B Initiative
